Prologue

There were a lot of shots from different kinds of cameras.

Reporters flock side by side as the unending question starts to penetrate his ears.

His personal guards gave way and tried their best to shield him against numbers of reporters who would try to squeeze this controversy like lemons.

"Atty. Hideo Christian Lacson, what can you say about the ambush that happened last night in which your wife, Kelly Raevan Lacson was taken from one of your vacation houses in Visayas on her way to the airport?", a fearless reporter asked. 

But her attempts to hear an answer went down the drain when he continued to pass by and totally ignored everyone. 

"There were informants about the deal you agreed with the Madria Group of company and people were thinking if it is related to the abduction of your wif--" he halted when a guy from a known television program spoke a provocative question to catch his interest.

And it is indeed, effective.

He clenched his jaw. Another deep breath he would always do before he speak, like those times he had to tame his temper. Just like in this situation. 

"There's no clear reason why my wife was abducted but I'm very much sure that the recent conference with the Madrias was never related to this. " he said. It looks like he's really trying hard to calm his nerves.

There are more questions thrown to him. There are more reporters following him and trying to win his interest too, yet no one succeeded. 

Jakim reaches a remote and shuts what seems like a flat screen television to me. 

"As expected Lacsons are agitated and by now I'm sure they'd double... no triple their securities, " he stated and grinned at Doctor Moris and then gazed at me. As if taunting Doctor Moris rather than stating facts. 

"I wouldn't be surprised about that, Jakim. Given the fact that Kelly is missing..." Biglang sumigla ang boses nya, "But on the bright side, it is an advantage. Don't you think Acy?" she turns to me. 

I looked at them cluelessly. Jakim gulped and anxiously turned to her. 

"But doctor... I don't think the Shadow would agree--" he was cutted mid-sentence. 

"Shut up. I'm not talking to you. " she turned to me again. With a sarcastic smile she said. "Right Acy?" 

Natigilan ako. My mind is blank. Yesterday, I was blowing someone else's head and now I'm here, listening to these absurd ideas. 

"Well... If we're ready. Then it is. " I shortly replied and began to light a cigar. 

Doctor Moris was quick to snatch the pack. 

"Stick to the plan, Acy. Or else the months you practiced would be put on trash. " she warns. 

I rolled my eyes. 

"Acy's progressive, Doctor. No need to worry" Geneva spoke. She's fixing her watch behind me. 

I vigorously smiled at her and then to Moris. "She only needs at least 2 months or three to master her behavior and emotional interaction, though we're not yet done making her face so...by then we'll be ready" she said. 

Geneva is my health instructor, my mentor in aiming Kelly's body figure. She also supervised the way I talk, mimicking the friendly tone Kelly always has. I mentally shook my head. That was the hardest part. Although, Doctor Moris said there's a slight similarities with our voices, so I don't need to worry. She only suggests to practice more of how she speaks, walk, behave and even how she thinks! Ugh, this sucks. 

"Alright folks, pack up. Back to work! " Jakim and his cheeky grin. 

He has a slightly moreno skin tone with very dark hair. Until now, I'm still not sure if he's half Thai or Filipino but I'm hundred percent sure that he has a Canadian blood. He was wearing a light blue scrub suit paired with his white shoes. He's in charge of my mental ability. Specifically in speaking in a smart way. Kelly's from a known Hoteliers lineage around the Philippines so that makes her an elitist compared to me. So to improve my 'bad mouth'---well he uses that term to refer to my unclassy choice of words. He meets me every day and start our session at exactly 3 am sharp (according to him, our mind is fresh and very productive in that time so I always wake up by 2 to prepare myself)

They were quick to pack up when Jakim pressed the exit button of this white colored room one by one. Some men dress like Jakim too, yet few of them don't talk to me so I didn't get the chance to know each of their names. Not that I'm friendly. It's just that I need to practice it, but I think they were not allowed to talk to me. Sometimes I wonder why, but shrugs the thought off. Besides, it's in the contract that I signed a year ago. And I used to wander around without saying anything to me. 

Only a few people were the ones I can talk to. Doctor Morisette who is the leader of this team. She's in her mid 30's. She's a dermatologist, she's the one to do my almost-a-goddess- Kelly-face. 

Next is Geneva, my health and behavior instructor. Jakim who's my (crazy) mental ability teacher. 

Geneva suddenly appeared in front of me while holding an electronic metal checklist like what Doctor Morisette has when evaluating her patients. 

She swiped the screen twice and tap something before she spoke. 

"Last schedule for tomorrow..." she grinned. 

"Faking your virginity, " 

I blink once. And then twice. 

My mouth dropped. 

"Let's go, " she said with an extra jolly tone. "You need to sleep early too. I think the team will have a general assembly tomorrow for a new plan. '' she pushed her point-finger against a black hole and it scans her fingerprint. Immediately, the door opened.

Hindi ako makapagsalita. I usually cursed at times like this but what she said totally knocks my head.

"What?" she said out of curiosity.

I didn't respond. I was busy cursing in my head.

She halted. I looked back at her with guilt. 

"You read the contract, didn't you?" with her most dramatic facial reaction, she said.

"I did," I said, not looking straight to her eyes. Sinundan niya ng tingin ang mga mata ko. Hirap na hirap kong binabalik ang tapang sa mga mata ko habang sinusuri nang kanyang tingin. 

Confident yet hesitant, I uttered the words, "But I didn't finish the last page..." 

"This is the best time to do it, Chairman."

Puting puti ang kulay ng kuwartong pinag daluhan ng conference meeting. May pabilog na mahabang lamesa kung saan kami ngayon nakaupo.

All seats contained ten people in total. Apat galing sa team ni Dra. Moris kabilang ako, limang lalaking naka kurbata at isang matandang nasa pinaka dulo ng lamesa. 

Moris was in her usual white coat and is sitting two seats away from what she calls Chairman. He's old. The grayish color appeared in his clean cut hair and mustache. Naka suot ito ng puting long-sleeved at naka salamin. He's vibe is very familiar, like he's just an old man you see from a bookstore, trying to sell some romantic novels and the likes. He doesn't really look like the founder of this plan.

A plan to eliminate Lacsons in the political world.

I've been told about this whole thing since I was working with the General, but I never really understand the root of hatred of these people sitting in front of me. 

What they are talking about is the plan a year ago. They all made a conspiracy against the Lacsons and decided to create a hidden bomb to be placed under the Lacson's clan. 

And the hidden bomb is me. 

I was trained for a year now. Learning to be like her. Mimicking all her actions. Trying to imitate Atty. Hideo Lacson's wife, Kelly Raevan Entera. 

I know it sounds absurd. 

To agree to this set up, is like I decided to be their suicide bomber. 

"We're not ready yet, Dra. Moris. Any moment, the real Mrs. Lacson might appear. We can't risk this whole plan for a small chance of winning." Sagot nang isang lalaki sa mga naka kurbata. 

"Nicholas is right, we need to let the controversy pass first, hindi pwede sumugod agad tayo." Someone agreed. 

Umiling si Moris. "You didn't understand. This is the only advantage we have! Now that the real Kelly is missing, we can actually place the fake one." 

Ouch. Sakit naman nung 'fake'. 

"You're ruining the plan Dra. Morissette!" angil ng isa. "You're eager to put this in action just because it's your damn project. Hindi mo ba naiintindihan? Your haste might pull us all down!" 

Dra. Moris arched her brow. "This isn't about my project, Dr. Leonardo! Stop making way for your bruised ego!" 

Hinampas ng lalaking tinatawag ni Dra. Moris na 'Leonardo' ang lamesa

"Enough!" the Chairman's voice thundered. 

Lahat kami napatingin sa kalmadong lalaki sa dulo. Parehas na nakalagay ang mga palad sa mesa at nakapikit ang mga mata dulot nang pinipigilang inis. 

"I need to hear the report of progress now, " he said. 

Tumayo agad si Moris kahit hindi pa nakaka recover sa sigawan nila nung 'Dr. Leonardo' at hinatak ako. Geneva was quick to fix the projector while Moris made me stand in front of them. Showing them a clear view of my whole body. Naka suot ako ng itim na leather jacket at itim din na ripped jeans. The chairman's eyes immediately landed on me. 

Hindi ko iyon pinansin habang awkward na nakatayo doon dahil may katagalan ang pag seset up ng presentation, but what's more disturbing is that some of the men with neckties keeps on raising his brows. As if dissatisfied with something. 

"A year ago, we started to develop Acy's social interactions, personal behavior, fashion and even her physical appearance,"Pinakita sa screen ang dati kong itsura. I watched in awe habang nasa gilid ng projector. 

Blonde with pink highlights underneath my hair. Hindi na ito ganun ngayon, my hair was dyed black few months ago. May kaliitan din ang height ko noon kumpara sa itinaas ko ngayon pagkatapos ng training. I looked thinner and slender than before. They showed all the before and after training within twelve months. 

They also showed my intelligence tests. Mababa ito noon pero pinakita sa datos ang mga improvement. 

Tahimik ang buong kwarto. Tanging mga paliwanag lang ni Dra. Moris ang naririnig. 

I felt uneasy. I feel like I've been being examined. Like I'm some product that will soon be produced. 

Geneva went near me. She tried to reach my left hand for a squeeze. I didn't respond. 

I quietly watched. Piniplay na doon ang pinaka ayaw ko sa lahat. 

They showed my naked body. Hanggang sa pinaka suluk-sulokang parte ng katawan ko, diniscuss ang mga improvement sa panggagaya ng katawan ni Kelly. Every bit of my body was now similar to her's. Even the tiniest mole of her body were copied. All of it. 

Hindi rin nagtagal at pinakita naman ngayon ang mga X-rays, Magnetic Resonance Imaging or MRI, Ultrasound at mga iba pang scan na ginawa para makita ang ilang pag kakaiba ng katawan namin ni Kelly. 

Actually Dra. said it's not necessarily copying Kelly's internal organs in its actual form. They needed it to detect injuries like broken bones, ribs or even some disease. 

"What about her voice?" someone asked. 

"We're working on it, " Jakim answered. "We're actually developing a concoction that would help copying Kelly's voice. " 

Tumango ito sa nagustuhang sagot. 

Dra. lifted her hand, the one holding a pen, "Anymore questions?" 

"How confident are you to let this girl proceed with the plan? I mean, you only planned this whole set up within a year, " The one sporting an eyeglasses laughs mockingly. If I remember correctly, his name is Dr. Leonardo. I arched my brow. 

"Ranging from one to ten. It would be Eleven," she fearlessly answered.

Hindi ko mapigilang mapatulala kay Dr. Moris matapos marinig iyon. She never praise me for doing good in everything I do. Lahat para sakanya, palpak. Palaisipan pa nga sakin kung bakit sa dami kong maling nagagawa, nandito parin ako. Tapos ngayon, malalaman ko na ganun siya ka-confident na successful itong plano? 

Diretso lang ang tingin ni Dra. kay Dr. Leonardo. Parehas na naghahamon ng away ang mga mata. Walang gustong sumuko.

"Tell me something about what you're confident about," the Chairman broke the deafening silence inside the room."

Pinutol ni Dra. ang tingin sa kanya tsaka bumaling sa Chairman. She smiled brightly."It's just one thing, Chairman," she grabbed the marker on the table. 

"She's an orphan that works with General Vincenzo," 

"So?" Ani Dr. Leonardo sa nakakainsultong tono. 

But she didn't mind. She smiled and went to the white board to draw a bomb. Nilingon niya ang mga board members. 

She gestured an explosion following the stated effects, "Boom!" 

I don't know how to react. My body froze and the only thing that I thought about was the following words. 

"If she fails, then it's easy to eliminate her. No records. No proof of living. Nothing." 

I don't exactly like her but I didn't know she hates me enough to send me an indirect threat. Desperada na ba sya?

Is this some front to gain acknowledgement of approval from the Chairman? To what? To secure an immediate conduct of her project? 

"So, your saying that it's up to her, whether to fuck up the plan or not?" 

She snapped. "Exactly," 

"We plan the whole project flawlessly and we also develop high quality equipment to make this all work so, it only takes a stupid bitch to ruin the whole plan," Then, she turned to me and smiled. 

Or maybe not. 

Para akong tinakasan ng kaluluwa nang matapos ang meeting. Geneva guided me out of the room but I look like I'm in some spell. Hindi ako kumikibo. 

Marami ang gustong makipag kamay at bumati sakin dahil pinapayagan na si Dra. Moris na isagawa ang plano, pero ni isa wala akong nginitian o kinausap. Ayon kay Chairman, may isang buwan nalang kami para tapusin lahat. To change my face and make everything fully furnished. 

May isang buwan pa ako para mag handa. Para pag isipan lahat. 

Then it dawned me. Why am I doing this? 

Bumukas ang isang pinto habang naka alalay sakin si Geneva. It's another all white room. May mga stainless na mga kagamitan sa metal na shelves at maraming kagamitan pang doktor. 

Geneva ushered me to sit on the bed equipped with mechanisms that can elevate or lower the entire bed platform. I'm continuously out of mind as she got the white dress that only worn when you're in a hospital. 

Doon lang nag sink in sakin kung bakit. May lumapit na matandang babae na sa tingin ko ay isang doktor. She got the equipment ready and made me lay on the surgical bed. 

I am here to copy Kelly Entera's purity and they would be faking mine to become a woman who'll soon be a ticking bomb. 

"This won't take long. For now, sleep." the doctor in charge said. Geneva was beside me, giving me a worried look.

The syringe stings as they insert the General anesthesia. 

For the last time I will ask myself...

Am I doing the right thing? 

But then, I drifted into oblivion as the darkness embraced me.